MORE than 100 crews headed north for the Snowman Rally in the Highlands – a bumper entry for the first round of the ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship.

The one thing there wasn’t, however, was snow. Normally an endurance test on snow and ice, this year the rally was beset with unseasonably high temperatures and sunshine.

The hottest person on the track, though, was five-time Scottish Champion David Bogie, who set a searing pace to rampage through the field and cross the finish ramp in Inverness almost a minute clear of the closest competition.

David Bogie and Kevin Rae in their Skoda Fabia R5 on their way to winning the 2017 Snowman Rally (Image: Eddie Kelly Motorsport Photography)

With Kevin Rae on the notes, Bogie’s Skoda Fabia R5 dominated each of the five stages despite being pushed early on by Shaun Sinclair and co-driver Jamie Edwards in their Subaru Impreza S14 WRC.

The quality at the top end of the field was exceptional, with many of the competitors registered to score points and some big names just making it into the top 10. Bogie, Sinclair and reigning SRC champion Jock Armstrong all tied on points on the Meall Mor test, which meant each of them averaged more than 70mph.

Bogie said: “The plan was to come here and get some more time in the car, so it’s been a great rally for us. The pace has been good, the stages have been good and it makes such a difference when there’s no snow and ice – they really do change in character.

Shaun Sinclair and Jamie Edwards in their Subaru Impreza S14 WRC on their way to coming second in the 2017 Snowman Rally (Image: Eddie Kelly Motorsport Photography)

“The stages up here are as good as any you’ll get in the UK and to start the season with a win is hopefully a sign of things to come.”

Sinclair and Edwards finished second while Euan Thorburn and Paul Beaton charged through and just pipped Jock Armstrong to third position in their Ford Fiesta R5. Armstrong and Paula Swinscoe had to make do with fourth in their Subaru Impreza.

Rory Young and Allan Cathers were fifth, sixth place went to Bruce McCombie and Michael Coutts, with Steven Clark and Paul Brown in seventh position.

Euan Thorburn and Paul Beaton in their Ford Fiesta R5 on their way to coming third in the 2017 Snowman Rally (Image: Eddie Kelly Motorsport Photography)

Iain Wilson and Callum Atkinson took the SRC Challengers category and local crew Dougal Brown and Lewis Rochford took the two wheel honours.

A delighted Thomas Gray became the first recipient of the SRC John Horton Star Driver Award for his performance in the opening round. He will carry the star driver banner for the rest of the season and will join six other drivers in an end-of-year shoot-out to win an overseas rally package at the end of 2017.

The next round of the SRC is the Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally in Jedburgh on March 18.